Found in the sun-drenched hills of southwestern Turkey, just a short drive from the sparkling waters of the Turquoise Coast, lies a strange and poignant village that seems to have stood still: Kayaköy. This eerie abandoned village, with its silent, crumbling houses and empty streets, is one of the most extraordinary ghost towns I've ever visited. Visiting Kayaköy is a deeply immersive experience that takes you far from the typical tourist trail in Turkey.
Here, there are approximately 400 houses, two churches and several chapels that have been abandoned and frozen in time for over 100 years. The road leading to the village winds through hills dotted with olive trees and rugged terrain, gradually revealing the stone skeletons of what was once a thriving community. There’s a moment of quiet realisation as you step into Kayaköy—this is not just a collection of ruins but a living memory etched into the crumbling landscape.
As I first entered this long deserted village, the stone houses, stacked in terraces against the hillside, seemed to echo with the lives they once sheltered. Roofs have collapsed, walls have crumbled, and nature has begun to reclaim what was left behind. Vines snake through broken windows, and wildflowers push up between the cracks in the cobblestones.
The muted colours of the stone—faded greys and sun-bleached browns—contrast with the vibrant greens of the surrounding hills, creating a landscape that feels both desolate and strangely beautiful. A.